Carton which is equipped to be used as a toy



0a. 24, 1933. J. w. BOWMAN 1,932,368

c'lm'on WHICH 1s EQUIPPED TO BE USED AS A TOY Filed May 4, 1935 3 She'ets-Sheet 1 ,1 zllllllllfill 43 A: I} Q "W W ylh;

lHIlHiz m H in Oct. 24, 1933. J, w BOWMAN 1,932,368

C'ARTONIIHW'HI'CH IS EQUIPPED TO BE USED AS A TOY Filed May 4, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 24, 1933. J w BOWMAN 1,932,368

CARTON WHICH IS EQUIPPED TO BE USED AS A TOY Filed May 4, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 5 'lilllll i" Patented Oct. 24, 1933 PATENT OFFICE CARTON WHICH IS EQUIPPED TO BE USED AS A TOY Jacob Warren Bowman, Narberth, Pa., assignor to Gum Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 4, 1933. Serial No. 669,293 9 Claims. (01. 46-37) My invention relates to cartons or boxes which.

are convertible into toys.

The main purpose of my invention is to provide a container for merchandise which will,,after the contents have been removed, be used as a toy, such as a toy automobile.

A further purpose is to stamp a cardboard container so that it may be used first as a container for merchandise and later as a toy.

A further purpose is to construct a container for merchandise in the form of a box and with a separate lid, the lid being scored and serrated in different directions, in such a manner as to allow the container, after its contents have been removed, to be used as a toy truck by 'means of the scorlngs and serrations upon the lid, to separate one part of the lid from another part, the full one part of the lid upon itself and to place the folded lid on the bottom container, in an up- 23. right position to form a cab body fof the truck, with tabs and slits upon the cooperating parts to hold them together.

A further purpose is to score different parts of the container bottom and to provide'tabs that can be pressed outwardly fromthe body of the container to form bearings or retainers for wheel shafts, and with slits cut in the body to receive other tabs integral with a lid of the container to hold the parts in position and to construct a toy truck. i

A further purpose is to construct a knockdown truck of cardboard having upper and lower portions, the lower portion being scored to provide tab extensions for wheel shaft bearings and the upper portion being scored and serrated for easy separation and for folding and insertion purposes to form a front and to imitate a radiator cover of an automobile and with a folded member to represent a cab and windshield for the toy truck, with cooperating tabs and slits to hold the parts together.

A further purpose is to provide a merchandising container with apertured tabs into which wheel receiving shafts are placed, with the shafts extending outwardly some distance from the sides of the truck, when the truck is assembled, to receive pressed metal or other types of wheels having'openings for the shaft smaller than the diameter of the shaft, adapted to be forced on the shaft.

A further purpose is to construct a box or carton in which merchandise is packed for delivery to a store, the box to be used for display purposes and later given to a child who can rebuild the box to make a toy automobile truck,

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention by showing two only, of many forms it may'assume, selecting forms, however, thatwell illustrate the principles involved.

Referring to the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a perspective .view of a cover for a box, or carton, the cover being made in one part and in accordance wth my invention.

Figure 1a isv a perspective view, similar to Figure 1, but with one part severed from the other.

Figure 2 is aperspective view of a box or carton upon which the cover of Figure 1 is applied.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the blanked material of the cover of Figure 1, before being folded into final form. I

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the cover of Figure 1, but being bent into another position and looking at the opposite side from that seen in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the parts of my improved box or carton shown in Figures 1 to 4 assembled in position to form a toy automobile truck.

Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to Figure 5, but illustrating a modification.

Figure '7 is a top plan view of a blanked form which is to be bent into position to form the bottom of a box or carton of the toy truck seen in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the blank of Figure '7 after it has been folded into position to form the box of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of a formed blank that will be folded into position to make the cover of the modified form of package seen in Figure 6.

Figure 9a is a perspective view, on reduced scale, of the completed cover of the modified form of box as seen in Figures 6 to 14, inclusive.

Figure 10 is perspective of the cover of Figure 9a but on a larger scale and showing one part as severed from the other.

Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of Figure 6.

Figure 12 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 13-43 of Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a transverse section of my improved carton taken on a line similar to 1212 of Figure 11, but showing the cover applied in position upon the box and with the wheels of the truck Omitted and the tabs forming the bearings for the wheels in the position they will assume before being pressed outwardly.

My invention relates to a container in the form of a box or carton which is primarily intended to provide a container in which chewing gum or other merchandise may be packed for shipment to a-store keeper. My invention also contemplates the use of the box or container, after the chewing gum has been removed and after the store keeper has no further use for it, by a child who will tear or cut on serrated lines; bend the material comprising the box and press outwardly on the tabs to form a simulation of a toy automobile truck. The child will press outwardly on the tabs to form a bearing or retainer for the shafts for the wheels of the truck and, by the use of other tabs interlocked into slits in the adjacent portions of the box, form the different parts into a construction that will represent a toy automobile truck.

In Figure 1, I have shown the lid or cover 15 of a box, desirably of pasteboard, pulp board, straw board, etc. The cover is serrated at 16 in order that the cover can be separated into front and rear parts 17 and 18. The cover is very much similar to the cover of an ordinary pasteboard box.

In Figure 2 the bottom or container portion 19 of my improved box is illustrated.

When it is desired to pack merchandise (in the present instance, chewing gum, for example) the merchandise is placed in the container portion 19, after which the serrated cover 15 of Figure 1 is placed on the bottom 19 to form what would apparently be an ordinary cover of a pasteboard box.

In forming my cover, I have found it desirable to serrate the cover as at 16 in order that the cover can, after it has fulfilled its use as a cover, be divided into two parts, one part to be used to simulate the hood and the other the cab of an automobile truck.

In Figure 3, I have shown the cover blank before the flaps of the blank have been bent to complete the cover proper. The front end 17 comprises a central portion 20 and front and side flaps 21, 22 and 23. When the cover is bent into completed form, the front end 21 is bent along a score line 24 and the side flaps 22 and 23 are bent in the same direction as the flap 21 along score line 26. The matching edges 27, 28 and 29, 30 may be glued, or if desired, a strip supporting paper may be placed thereon. In some uses, a cover may be applied directly about the end 17 to hold the completed bent portions firmly in their position seen in Figure 1.

In Figure 3, the rear end 18 of the cover blank is serrated at 31 and scored at 32, 33 and 34. The portions 35, 36, 37 and 38 of the side flaps 22 and 23 are bent dowwnardly along the score lines 32, thereby forming the sides of the box.

Adjacent the side portions 37 and 38 is an intermediate portion 39, to which a projecting por tion 40 is integrally formed. The portion 40 is bent downwardly along the score line 34 to form the rear end of the lid or cover. I To secure together the side portions 37 and 38 and the end 40, I place glue along the edges 41 and 42 of the blank, which will engage the edges to secure the rear ends of the box firmly as shown in Figure 1. An additional strip of adhesive or paper reinforcing material may be glued along these edges, although I have found that in some instances the cover which is eventually placed about the lid of the box will hold the edges together without the additional reinforcements.

In Figure 4 I have shown the rear end 18 of the cover after it has been separated from the front end 19, and has been bent along the line 33 at one end and along the line 32 at the sides, to form a cab portion 43 that can be inserted into the container portion of the box to form the general contour of a cab upon an automobile truck. The cab is clearly shown in Figure 5 in its place adjacent the front end of the carton, to cooperate with the markings or printing upon the front end of the box cover to give the appearance of a toy automobile truck.

In Figure 2 I have illustrated a box body in which tabs 44 are pressed from the bottom and form apertures 45 through which shafts or wooden spindles 46 are inserted to carry wheels 47 that will be forced upon outer ends of the shafts to complete the toy automobile truck.

In the form of Figures 1 to 5 it will be understood that glue may be applied to either the truck body or the radiator section or between the cab portion and the truck body to hold the parts together firmly when a child is making the toy truck from my improved box or carton.

In the illustration I have preferred to show markings to indicate a windshield and a door upon the cab and body portions. Other markings are used in the front end of the cover to indicate a hood. A cap 48 is pressed upwardly to simulate a radiator cap.

Below the body of the container and pressed from the bottom of the container portion 19, is a tab 49 to which a child may attach a string or cord 50 by which the toy truck can be drawn.

In the form of my invention shown in Figures 6 to 14 I have illustrated a slight variation in the construction of my box or carton which I find to be more desirable in some instances than the form of Figures 1 to 5, inclusive.

Figure 6 shows a completed truck similar to that of Figure 5, but with slight variations in the details of construction.

Figure 7 illustrates a blanked form from which the container portion 19 is formed. The blank when folded comprises a central or bottom portion 51, sides 52 and ends 53 which are folded upwardly to form the sides and ends of the container. After the ends and sides are turned upwardly the additional side walls 52' are turned downwardly about score lines 54 and 55 at the sides of the container and the end flaps 56 are turned inwardly about score lines 57. The end flaps 56 are folded inwardly before the ends 53 are folded about their score lines 57. The additional end members 53 are then turned downwardly about their score lines 58.

It will be clearly understood that when the end and side members 52' and 53' are turned down upon their respective cooperating members 52 and 53, glue may be applied thereto to hold the box portions firmly together, and it will be also noted that glue may be applied between the end flaps 56 and the ends 53 to secure the cooperating parts together.

Tabs 44' apertured at 45 are scored from the bottom of the blank 51 and a tab 49 at the front end of the box is scored in the bottom thereof. The tabs referred to above will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the bottom of the container I provide slots .45 58 which are formed at each edge of the box along the bottom score line of the box. Slits 59 are cut in the side walls 52 for purposes hereinafter described.

Figure 8 shows the bottom container portion of my improved box or carton in perspective, the view being a view of the blank of Figure 7 in folded position, with the sides and ends turned to their respective permanent positions.

Figure 9 illustrates a view somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 3, but in which additional flap members are provided. The front end 17 of the blank 15' of the top cover has a portion 20 with side and end flaps 21, 22 and 23. An additional inwardly extending flap portion 20' with side flap portions 20 is provided, the portion 20' in this form eventually makes the windshield of the toy truck. At the front end 21 of the blank I provide a further extension 21 and at the sides 22 and 23 of the blank I provide extensions 22' and 22 and 23' and 23 and addi onal inwardly extending flaps 22 and 23 The rear end of the blank shown in Figure 9 is very similar to that shown in Figure 3, but, as shown in Figure 8, the portion 40 of Figure 3 has been omitted. The blank 18 has side flap portions 35', 36', 37' and 38' and an end flap 39. In addition to the above mentioned flap portions, I provide supplemental end flap portions 35 36 and a supplemental flap end 39 for purposes which will be hereinafter described.

End tabs 60 integral with the side portions 35 and 36 and longitudinal serrations 61 are formed in the front end of the blank.

The blank has serrations 20 along the sides of flap portion 20 and between the portion 20. The portion 20 will be removed from the cover, after the cover has ceased to be used as a lid for a box, by tearing along the serrated lines shown.

In Figure 9a, I have shown a perspective view of the completed cover of the blank of Figure 9. When the completed cover is placed upon the box or carton, the merchandise is entirely enclosed within the container portion. The sides of the cover are cut away for purposes which will be described later.

In Figure 10, I have illustrated a perspective view of the cover of Figures 9 and 9a with the front and rear parts separated and a central portion removed.

After the merchandise is packed in the container, four metal wheels 4'7 and two wooden shafts 46 are placed in the box. The wheels and shafts are placed in the box before the cover is applied.

It is optional with the store keeper how he disposes of the box. It may be given to the person buying the last piece of merchandise or, if preferred by the store keeper, may be given to the person returning the largest number of wraps from about the merchandise. Many other ways of disposing of my improved box or carton will be apparent to the store keeper.

When the box or carton of the form shown in Figure 6 to 14 inclusive is given to a child for assemblage into a toy truck, the store keeper will also present him with the four metal wheels and the two wooden shafts referred to in a preceding paragraph. The cover will be separated by tearing along the serrated line 62. The front end of the cover will be retained in the same relative position as when it. was placed on the bottom container but with the addition that the tabs 22 are inserted into the slits 59, thereby making an interlocking connection between the front end 21 which forms a hood portion of the truck and the bottom container 19 which forms the body of the truck. The portions 20 will be removed from the cover by tearing along the serrated line 20 and are discarded.

The rear end of the box cover is then reversed in direction from its position on the bottom container and its sides 35' and 36' are placed in a vertical position with respect to the body of the truck adjacent the hood portion 21 near the front of the bottom container, as shown in Figures 6 and 11.

The tabs 60 depending from the sides 35 and 36" will then be inserted into the slits 58 and turned at right angles with respect to the sides at the lower edges of the bottom container. Before the rear end .of the box is fastened to the container, a portion 20' of the hood 20 is bent at right angles along a score line 20 and thereby forms a windshield portion at the front of the cab section which cab section is developed by placing the rear end of the box cover in the vertical position described above with respect to the bottom container.

In addition to the above described building up of the truck, the child will press out numerous tabs such as that shown at 48 in the hood portion which will indicate a radiator cap above the hood. Other tabs 44' will be pressed downwardly from a scoring in the portion 51, to provide bearings or retainers into which the child will place wooden shafts. Apertures 45' are provided in the tabs 44' to receive the wooden shafts.

After the shafts have been inserted in their respective bearings, the metal wheels 47 are forced upon the ends of the shafts beyond the sides of the truck body and are held to the shafts by friction. The central apertures of the wheels are smaller in diameter than the shaft and the openings through the wheels are irregular in shape in order that, when the metal wheels are placed on to the shaft, the wheels will engage the shaft firmly and be held to it.

An additional tab 49' is placed at the front end of the portion 51 of the bottom container. The

child will press the tab 49' downwardly and tie T l a piece of string to it, and the truck will then be so equipped that it can be drawn from place to place.

It will be noted that by my construction the wheels will not rotate on the shaft but the shaft and wheels will both rotate in' the bearings formed by the tabs 44 in the bottom container. This, however, is optional and I have shown this form only as a matter of preference and for the reason that the cost of manufacturing this form is lower than others that I have considered.

If desired, the shafts or wheels may be constructed of other material.

When the rear portion of the box cover 18' is placed in the truck bottom container I have found it necessary to longitudinally serrate the corners at 61 to allow slits to be made in the cover portion 18 to allow for interfitting of the portion 18' within the bottom container 19' and to allow the sides 35' and 36' to be placed outside of the 1' of the rear end cover 18 are placed within the bottom container.

It will be evident that not only can the flat, H

unfolded sheet of board from which the parts are formed be considered as a blank, but the box itself before and because of the separation and reformation of its parts may also be considered 3 as a blank or form from which the truck is prepared.

I have found both forms of my invention as illustrated to be economical in manufacture, efficient in operation and easily constructed into a toy automobile truck for use by a child.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particularly need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A flat blank form for use in making a box top and part of a toy automobile truck comprising a middle portion having front and side flaps with creased markings between the middle portion and the flaps to permit bending the flaps and lines for separation between the front and rear parts of the middle portion and of the side flaps, the side flaps on the front carrying decorations for the side of the iruck hood, and the front flap carrying decorations to simulate the front of a radiator, all adapted, before separation of the front and rear body parts, to fold along the sides and ends of the body portion to form a box top and with separation of the body parts to reposition the rear body portion with its side flaps as a cab for the truck.

2. A flat blank form for use in making a box top and part of a toy automobile truck comprising a middle portion having front and side flaps with creased markings between the middle portion and the flaps to permit bending the flaps and lines for separation between the front and rear parts of the middle portion and of the side flaps, the side flaps on the front carrying decorations for the side of the truck hood, and the front flap carrying decorations to simulate the front of a radiator, all adapted, before separation of the front and rear body parts, to fold along the sides and ends of the body portion to form a box top and with separation of the body parts to reposition the rear body portion with its side flaps as a cab for the truck, one of the middle parts being creased for folding and the rear, behind the crease being adapted to act as the windshield of the cab.

3. A flat blank form for use in making a box top and part of a toy automobile truck comprising a middle portion having front and side flaps with creased markings between the middle portion and the flaps to permit bending the flaps and lines for separation between the front and rear parts of the middle portion and of the side flaps, the side flaps on the front carrying decorations for the side of the truck hood, and the front flap carrying decorations to simulate the front of a radiator, all adapted, when the front and rear body parts with their flaps are separated from each other to have the front body part form the simulation of the front of an automobile and the rear body part turned so that the body part is vertical, form the simulation of the cab of an automobile, the rear of one of the body parts in the blank simulating the winshield of the truck.

4. A box acting as a blank for a toy automobile truck body and having a partition line perforated for separation of the front and rear top portions of the box, the front of the box when separated from the rear of the box forming the frontof an automobile truck and the rear of the top of the box being perforated at the sides for separation of the side flaps and creased at the top for bending of the rear portion of the top of the box and adapted to be turned from horizontal to vertical position and decorated to form the cab of the truck.

5. A box form for alteration into a toy automobile truck and comprising a box bottom and a box top collapsed over the bottom, the front and front sides of the top being decorated to form the hood of the automobile, the box top being creased for bending between the front and an intermediate part of the body of the top and perforated for separation of the intermediate part of the sides of the top from the rest of the top, the intermediate part between the sides being decorated and adapted to turn up as a windshield and the rear of the box top being perforated for separation from the intermediate part of the box top and for partial separation of the sides and being decorated to simulate the truck cab when in vertical position.

6. A blank for a toy automobile, comprising a body having side, end and bottom walls, a top comprising two parts divided by a perforated line to permit separation and covering the body, one of the parts having side, end and top walls and being marked to simulate a. hood, the other part having side, end and top walls, the side walls being perforated for separation along a line transverse to the top wall and the top wall having a score line for folding adjacent the lines of separation of the sidewalls and means initially within the bottom wall of the body for pivotally mounting wheels in the bottom.

7. A blank for an automobile toy, comprising a lower portion having bottom, end and side walls, a top portion formed in two separable parts of unequal length, together in the blank covering the bottom portion, the smaller part simulating an automobile hood, interlocking means for connecting the sides of the smaller part to the lower portion and a plurality of tabs on the lower portion having bearing openings.

8. A toy automobile including a body portion having cardboard end, side and bottom walls of generally rectangular form, a partial cover comprising, therefore, a hood having side and top walls and one end wall adapted to simulate the hood of a truck and a cab having a top wall corresponding generally to the end wall of the hood and a rear wall and side walls extending to the bottom of the body, the rear of the cab'being open.

9. A toy automobile including a body portion having cardboard end, side and bottom walls of generally rectangular form, a partial cover comprising, therefore, a hood having side and top walls and one end wall adapted to simulate the hood of a truck and a cab having a top wall corresponding generally to the end wall of the hood and a rear wall and side walls extending to the bottom of the body, the rear of the cab being open and a windshield continuous with one of the cover portions.

JACOB WARREN BOWMAN. 

